Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, , 7:30:59 to 7:39:35
The committee discusses measures to reduce net overseas migration, including restricting student dependents and addressing 'visa hopping' where students shift between visas without completing courses.
Topics: Education, Integrity
Speakers: Senator Malcolm Roberts, Clare Sharp, Michael Willard, Hon Murray Watt, Senator Jana Stewart, Hon Jonathon Duniam, Speaker 21, Stephanie Foster
We're looking at every visa class. It's not just working holiday maker. That's been the one that's been probably most publicly commented on in the media, but there are other changes that are happening to student visas. We are making changes to visitor visas. We're making changes to the way our permanent program is allocated, all with the sole goal, if you like, of ensuring that the government has much better control over the number and who is coming and staying in Australia.
Thank you. You want to restore control to the immigration entry.
We want to maintain control and for some of these programs that have been historically demand completely demand-driven to provide government with some levers to have a control lever over how many. So in something like working holiday maker, it has been historically just a program where however many people applied, if they met criteria, they would be granted.
So does this apply to international students and their dependents and families? Does it apply to illegals and unskilled?
So certainly we are making changes. So there's been a number of steps taken in relation to students over several years. The most significant of those are restricting dependents coming with students and temporary graduates for most students, not all, but most. So yes, certainly we are, as I said, we are looking across the system to make changes where they're where they're sensible, moderate, but adjust and ensure government has levers to manage the volume.
What about graduate students?
Graduates the graduates will be having similar controls to what we're doing to the students, which is that most temporary graduates will not be able going forward to have dependents attached to their visa.
Sounds like one nation policy that you're adopting. So could could we have a copy of the listing of the numbers, please, and the cuts in each area?
I'd love to see one that from one nation.
We've shown it. We've shown it. I'll get it to you.
Is that your version or Senator Hanson's version or Mr. Farley's version of the case?
It's the party's version.
But I've seen about four or five. Which one should I look at?
The one that was finalised.
Is that your version?
I'll send it to you. Senator. No, it's it's the party's version. I'm very, very pleased to see this, but we'll I won't endorse it until I see the actual numbers because uh the Labor Party has been frightened to address the numbers.
So Senator Um, we can take on notice the the norm effect of the um that that of these measures. The the net overseas migration, then how what impact we think this will have on net overseas migration for each of the measures I referred to? Um I would note Senator Duniam also asked something similar, and there is an order for production that's seeking similar information as well that's um in the process of going through our system.
Could I have the um the existing numbers and the reduced numbers expected in the future uh for each of the visa categories? The main visas students, graduate students, dependents of students, dependents of graduate students, the illegals, the unskilled, and the graduates?
Yeah. Their legals is a little different. Yeah, that will be different. Um in that we don't control yeah, but yeah.
You know they're there, but you haven't chased them. Okay.
That's correct.
Okay. Um applicants been notified of potential delays in processing of visas?
Senator, yes, there's information on our website that applicants receive that that indicates they should expect three month processing times.
So this policy is contributing to enlarging the backlogs of visa applications waiting to be processed, I take it, automatically.
I gave you the figure of the on-hand number that has risen over the last three months.
Minister, will this mean the Labor Party will start to use the no word NO and refuse people entry?
Well, we already do that when someone who seeks a visa doesn't pass security tests and doesn't pass a range of other requirements
What is the number of backlogged initial applications and currently known appeals awaiting a decision? Have you got those numbers? Or question on notice?
Across all visa targets, Senator?
Yes.
We would need to take a look at the PMs. Sorry, could you ask the question again, Senator?
What is the number of backlogged initial applications and currently known appeals awaiting a decision?
Across all visa cart classes. We would need to take that on notice.
Totally fine, yeah. Shifting slightly, how common is visa hopping? Sounds pretty common from Ms. Foster's nodding.
Senator Visa hopping as it's referred to is one of the practices that the changes that have been introduced to uh seeking to address. And this is a it refers to a circumstance where uh students in particular shift from visa to visa but never achieve completion of a course. Uh in addition to the changes to dependence that Ms. Sharp outlined, there's also changes to the way in which people can apply for student visas on shore. And that requires completion of a course and progression to a to a uh more advanced course. So those measures are designed to deal with uh that that practice of visa hopping, uh, in addition uh that the Ministers announced that the visitor visas will be subject to a condition known as a no further application or a no further stay condition, uh which means that only in exceptional circumstances would people be allowed to shift from a visitor visa uh to it to another visa while they're on shore.
Thank you. You you may not know the answer to this one. What is the current number of non-citizens in Australia with no valid visa?
Um Mr. Thomas could probably come to the table and assist with that.
Um because by the nature of that cohort, we're not managing them on visas.
That's right, Senator. Um at a point in time, as of the 30th of June this year.
We estimate approximately 79,400 non-citizens were here uh without a visa.
So the remarks is very fluid. Well that's remarkable. It gives me confidence because we've been saying there are 80,000 people here illegally. And that's pretty much the target. Okay, thank you.
Um what measures checking um you are at time for your 10 minute block. Are you almost done or is now a good time to rotate the member?
Now it would be a good time to rotate if you're excellent.
Thank you. So just indicating I'm going to share the call.
If I could just add one more to that.
Sure.
How many non-citizens are currently here illegally? Is it is that different from the number who are here with no valid visa?
No, Senator.
Thank you.
And can I just add one thing, Senator Roberts, on that? Um the government's position is that if someone doesn't have a valid visa, they shouldn't be here. And that is why one of the other measures that just been announced by Minister Burke is an increase in what's called compliance activity to remove people who don't have a right to be here. Um that fundamental.
You've been here for half a decade.
No, Senator Roberts.
So I know you don't like hearing things about your Liberal mates. But the truth is that under the former government, funding to remove people who didn't have a valid visa was wound down. We are putting that funding back in to remove people who don't have a valid visa.
And you're chasing us because we introduced all these points.
We're not chasing you.
Yes, you are. We're setting the agenda, Senator Roberts.
We are not chasing you.